Bernanke: Regulators need to help banks make more loans

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said regulators need to do more to help banks make loans to small businesses and other creditworthy borrowers. "Our message is a simple one: Institutions should strive to meet the needs of creditworthy borrowers, and the supervisory agencies should do all they can to help, not hinder, those efforts," Bernanke said at a banking conference in Chicago. Bernanke's comments illustrate the delicate balance for regulators who want to see banks make more loans while they also get on firmer financial footing.